Category: Canary Islands

Almond Blossom Festivals in the Canary Islands Fiestas del Almendro en Flor Islas Canarias When the first almond blossoms burst into bloom along the slopes and valleys of the Canary Islands, spring fever starts to set in. One of the most charming spectacles on the islands are the first almost blossoms in January and February,…

Ruta Playa Viva Live Music in Las Palmas To your right, the smell of the sea as the waves hit the sand. A cocktail in your hand, an ocean breeze and live music floating all around you. It’s the weekend in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria’s vibrant barrio Guanarteme and Las Canteras beach, and that means the…

La Noche de Finaos is a tradition in the Canary Islands, linked to All Saint´s Day and held on October 31 annually (the same day as Halloween). Like All Saint´s Day, Finaos in the Canaries celebrates, honors and remembers friends and family who have passed on. Families get together to share a meal, play music and remember stories of deceased loved ones.

La Fiesta del Pino in Teror: Gran Canaria’s Patron Saint It was past midnight when we neared the top of the mountain. The late summer night was warm and humid and we were already sticky from walking 12km uphill. From here, we were near enough to hear the music and could practically taste a cold,…

I´ve lived in the Canary Islands since 2014 and my first home was Tenerife. I´ve lived in both Santa Cruz de Tenerife and in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, and I´ve definitely learned a thing or two about apartment hunting in the islands.

Whether you’re desperately trying to beat the heat in Barcelona, soaking up the sun along the southern Spanish coast, or sitting at home wishing you were living the dream in Spain, chances are you’ll be feeling a bit parched this summer.

While there’s no shortage of cerveza and sangria to be sampled, do as the Spanish do and beat the heat with one of these 7 classic summer thirst-quenchers instead!

La Orotava is easily one of the most charming towns in Tenerife and is worth a visit any time of year, but even more so during its colorful Corpus Christi celebrations held annually from about mid-May to mid-June.

Small as it may be, the sapphire blue water of the Charco Azul (“Blue Pond” – definitely sounds better in Spanish) is worth a visit for anyone who finds themselves near El Risco in the northwest coast of Gran Canaria. The pond is easy enough to reach, with some lovely landscapes on the way and a perfect, picturesque place to take a solitary dip and cool down beneath the small waterfall.

Gran Canaria has a bit of everything packed into it’s 1,560 square kilometers. Black, volcanic beaches, Sahara-like dunes stretching to the sea, impossible rock formations balancing from mountain peaks and dramatic cliffs and ravines dotted with deep, ancient caves that once housed the indigenous Canarii.
If you thought this photograph was shot in Utah’s Antelope Canyon, think again. This intricately carved ravine is located right here in Gran Canaria. Come see it for yourself!

With only five days to explore Fuerteventura – the second largest of the Canary Islands – we would need to do a lot of moving around. We arrived without an itinerary, determined to follow the advice of locals on our search for the most beautiful beaches, and daily weather reports to avoid the wilder winds (Fuerteventura, after all, translates to “strong wind,” and for good reason.

As much as I tend to bemoan the overly-touristic south, I’m always surprised at how much I enjoy my time here every now and then. There really is plenty to do – from basic beaching to luxury spas and all the water sports you can think of. Plus, sunshine.

Perched above deep volcanic valleys and ravines sits the sleepy, whitewashed town of Moya, where time has seemingly stood still. Children play in the small plazas and old women guard the town from their intricately carved wooden balconies. Church bells ring and old men stop to chat about the weather or yesterday’s match. There’s something timeless about an afternoon in Moya, as if this is what’s always been and what always will be.

Usually January is considered a time to tighten up the budget and the post-holiday buns and to settle in for the less festive side of winter; but as most of Spain is packing up their poinsettias and nibbling on the last crumbs of turrón and Roscón de Reyes, Santa Cruz de Tenerife is just warming up for the real party… Carnaval.

We arrived around two and the fiesta was already in full force. Squeezing through the mobs of sweaty fiesteros and fishermen selling eucalyptus branches for 2 bucks a pop, we made our way through the crowded, narrow streets to Plaza de la Constitución, the heart of enchanting Agaete.

Apartment hunting isn’t usually considered fun. Throw in a different language in a different country with different customs and it’s, well, different. Luckily, you’re not the first guiri to make the move to sunny Spain, so save yourself the stress of making all the mistakes yourself and learn from some of ours before you.

Every Thursday night in Vegueta, the scent of mojo and mariscos fills the air and hungry patrons – both locals and guiris alike – fill every bar, terrace and square inch of sidewalk. It’s the weekly Ruta del Pincho aka Tapas Thursday in the historic center, where friends gather together to share a bucket (or 10) of botellínes and sample the countless pinchos on offer.